The grey-breasted woodpecker is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is endemic to the interior of southwestern Mexico.
Region
Southwestern Mexico
Typical Environment
Occurs in the arid and semi-arid interior valleys and foothills, favoring open pine–oak edges, thorn-scrub, and semi-open woodland with scattered trees and cacti. It readily uses second-growth, agricultural margins, and ranchlands with remnant trees. Nesting is in cavities excavated in dead limbs, snags, or large cactus columns. It adapts well to mosaic landscapes where trees and open spaces intermix.
Altitude Range
800–2400 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This woodpecker is confined to the interior of southwestern Mexico, where it thrives in dry, open woodlands and thorn-scrub. It excavates cavities in soft dead wood and sometimes in large cacti for nesting. An opportunistic feeder, it takes insects as well as fruits and seeds, helping both with insect control and seed dispersal. Its rattling calls and territorial drumming are often heard before the bird is seen.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with undulating flight
Social Behavior
Typically seen in pairs or small family groups, maintaining territories around nest sites. Excavates nesting cavities in dead wood or cactus and may reuse or enlarge old cavities. Outside the breeding season it may join loose mixed flocks in open woodland.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives sharp pik and chack notes and a dry, rattling series during interactions. Territorial drumming on resonant dead wood is common, consisting of short, rapid bursts.
Plumage
Back and wings with dark and pale barring, contrasting with mostly gray underparts and breast. Face pale gray with darker malar area; crown pattern differs by sex. Plumage is sleek with typical woodpecker barring on upperparts.
Diet
Takes beetles, ants, and other insects gleaned from bark and branches or probed from dead wood. Also eats fruits and berries, including cactus fruits, and will take seeds when available. Occasionally visits flowering plants for nectar or sap-rich areas.
Preferred Environment
Forages on trunks, limbs, and larger branches of open woodland trees, as well as on cacti and fence posts. Frequently feeds along edges of thorn-scrub, orchards, and semi-open agricultural landscapes.
